“Let us work together to combat climate change, encouraging our cities andtowns to vigorously implement mitigation and adaptation measures.”
–
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, 2010
“Urban planning is undamental or eective climate change action both inmitigation and adaptation”
–
UN-HABITAT Executive Director Dr. Joan Clos, 2011
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World Habitat Day 2011
Cities and Climate Change
03
W
e are pleased to announce that the Global Observance o WorldHabitat Day this year will beheld in Mexico under the theme o Citiesand Climate Change. World Habitat Day2011 marks the second occasion in two years that Mexico takes a lead on climatechange. Last year, the country hostedthe United Nations climate change talksin Cancún. As UN Secretary General BanKi-moon reminded us: “The outcomes inCancún have given us important tools.Now we must use them, and strengthenour eorts in line with the scienticimperative or action.”The theme o
Cities and Climate Change
was chosen because climate change is ast becoming the preeminent development challenge o the 21st century. Indeed,no-one today can really oresee thepredicament in which a town or city will nd itsel in 10, 20 or 30 years time. Inthis new urban era with most o humanitynow living in towns and cities, we must bear in mind that the greatest impacts o disasters resulting rom climate changebegin and end in cities. Cities too have agreat infuence on climate change.This gives us a compelling set o opportunities because cities with theirpeople, industries, seats o learning,culture and inrastructure can provide thebest solutions when it comes to reducinggreenhouse gas emissions, improvingcoping mechanisms and reducingvulnerability to the impacts o climatedisruption.Prevention can be greatly enhancedthrough better land-use planning andbuilding codes so that cities keep theirecological ootprint to the minimum,and ensure their residents, especially thepoorest, are protected as best as possibleagainst climate change disaster, be it drought, foods, or other calamities.In tackling urban poverty and climatechange, we thereore have to thinkglobally and locally at the same time.We need to understand that the astest way to mitigate against climate changedisaster is to reduce urban poverty andsave as much energy as we can.It is no coincidence that global climate change has become a leadinginternational development issue preciselyat the same time and at the same rate asthe world has become urbanized.This is why UN-HABITAT’s 2011
GlobalReport on Human Settlements
also ocuses
Cities and Climate Change
. A shockingnding o the report is that greenhousegas emissions spewed out by citiesaccount or up to 70 percent o the world’spollution – much o it coming rom ourossil uel consumption or electricity,transport, energy use in commercial and residential buildings, industrial production and waste. It also showsmounting evidence o the risks posed byclimate change or urban areas and theirgrowing populations which aect watersupply, physical inrastructure, transport,ecosystem goods and services, energyprovision, industrial production andeconomies.The report seeks to improve knowledge onurban development and climate changeincluding the contribution o cities toclimate change and its impacts on cities.More importantly, it identies promisingmitigation and adaptation measures tosupport more sustainable and resilient urban development.The long lasting cooperation betweenthe Estados Unidos Mexicanos (Mexico)and UN-HABITAT has gradually expandedsince 2004, when the Ministry orSocial Development oered to host aUN-HABITAT national oce. The workprogramme refects Mexico’s commitment in achieving signicant improvement inthe lives o slum dwellers, in line withthe Millennium Development Goals.Urban development is closely monitoredthrough an extensive network o Local Observatories, and a State o MexicanCities Report is under preparation.Activities today supported by UN-HABITAT Mexico ocus on the water and sanitationsector, urban planning and promotiono urban saety and conviviality in publicspaces. A new programme in the areao sustainable urban mobility is underdevelopment.It is our hope that you will all join us tocommemorate World Habitat Day on 3October to raise greater awareness o the very important urban dimensiono climate change. Together, we can dosomething or the uture o our planet by devising new actions to help oset oreven reverse the climate change crisisacing us.
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World Habitat Day 2011 - Cities and Climate Change
The Global Observance of World Habitat Day this year will be held in Mexico under the theme of Cities and Climate Change.
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